Trade-stimulating device.



B. K. FORD & 0. J. VOGL.

TRADE STIMULATING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED adv. 13. m4.

Patented Nov. 26, 1918.

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B. K. FORD & O. J.- VOGL. TRADE STIMULATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.3,19|4. 1 ,285,972. Patented Nov. 26 1918.

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BEN K. FORD, OF OAK PARK. AND OSCAR J. VOGL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS; SAID FORD ASSIG-NOR T0 SAID VOGL.

TRADE-STIMULATING DEVICE.

nesae're.

Application filed. November 13, 191'4.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that We, BEN K. FORD, a citizen of the United States, residing in Oak Park, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, and OsoAn J. VooL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tra de-Stimulat-ing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates in general to trade stimulating devices and has for its object, broadly, the provision of means for stimula-ting trade through inducements offered to the use of particular machines or apparatus installed in the store or other establishment, such machine or apparatus being equi ed with devices for indicating that a profit sharing bonus or present will be given occasionally and intermittently to persons using the machine or apparatus in the performance of its regular or principal function. Although the invention is hereinafter disclosed as embodied in a cigar cutting ma-, chine, it will be manifest that the invention has other and different application in devices and machines of Various characters.

A principal object of the invention is the provision of a machine for cutting the ends of cigars or for performing other functions which, at predetermined intervals or at predetermined operations, will give either an indication that a profit sharing bonus or present is due from the establishment in which the machine is installed, or will of itself, present a profit sharing bonus or present to the person performing the particular operation with the machine.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a machine of this character which, although readily operable in the performance of the main purpose for Which it is intended, cannot be operated except in the performance of this main purpose, thereby preventing idle operation of the machine to cause it to indicate bonuses due to or to give bonuses to others than boom fide users of the machine.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a machine or device of the character described, which, while possessing these and other advantages, may be economieally constructed, of pleasing appearance, durable construction and eflicient in the per- Specifieation of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov; 26, 1.91.8.

Serial No. 871,917.

formance of its principal, as well as its trade stimulating functions.

Other objects and advantages of the in vention will be apparent; as it is better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof.

On the drawing,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cigar cutter in which our invention is embodied.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Figs. 4: and 5 are detail perspective views of the bonus indicating or delivery mechamsm; and

Fig. 6 is a partial, rear elevation of the device for actuating the advertising disk or Wheel to be later described.

The cigar cutter shown on the drawing and embodying our invention, is supported upon a suitable base 7, of sheet metal, upon which is fixed a casing or housing 8, preferably of sheet metal, although obviously the housing and base may both be constructed of other materials. The base in the present instance, consists of a single main sheet 9 bent at its edges to form a partial supporting wall 10, the edges of which are bent inwardly and secured at 11 to flat plates 12 adapted to rest upon the counter or show case without danger of marring the same. The plates 12 are bent upwardly at'13 into contact with the body of the sheet 9 to effect. a rigid support. The casing consists, in the present instance, of a stiff bottom 14, a back plate 15, a front wall 16 extending from the forward side of the support 7 straight upwardly a substantial distance. Above the straight portion the front wall is bent at 17 and extends upwardly and. rearwardly at 18 to adjacent the back plate 15 where it is bent at 19 straight upwardly to provide an upright portion 20. A top plate 21 is connected to the rear plate 10 and to the portion :20 of the front wall at 22 and side plates 40 are provided. All of these parts may be firmly and permanently locked together in the finished structure or one or more of them may be wholly or partly detachable to permit access to the interior of the casing, if desired.

Fastened upon the bottom 1% of the casing are two upwardly extending bearing plates 23 in which are journaled, as will be later described, pivots for certain rotatable and oscillatory moving members. A twopart arm forming the cigar cutter proper, is pivotally secured to the bearing plates 23, this arm consisting of a part 24 pivoted at 25 near the base of these plates adjacent one end, and carrying at the other, a cigar end guide 26 which is secured to the part 24: by screws or other suitable connections, as seen at 27. The other part 28 constitutes the knife or cutting element and consists, in the present instance, of a rigid bar 29 pivoted at 30 near the top of the plates 23 above and infront of the pivot 25 of the part 2i. The bar'29 carriesa steel leaf 31 having an end passing through a slot 32 inthe base of the cigar end guide 26. -he cigar end guide, the knife and the part 24L are provided with registering apertures 33, 34 and 35, respectively. The cigar end to be cut is inserted in these apertures and pressed'downwardly, moving the guide with it. This causes the two parts to move about their pivots, sliding the knife or cutting element 31 in the slot 32 and clipping the end from the cigar. The guide 26 and the ends of the two parts of the arm connected therewith, are disposed without and at the front of the casing, the arms extending through an elongated slot 36 in the front wall. The guide is maintained in the upper position shown, by a spring 37 fastened at one end at 38 to the rear end of the part 24 beyond but adjacent to the pivot 25. The other end of this spring is secured to an ear 39 extending downwardly from a bar 41 through a notch or slot d2 in the end of the bar which end is extended rearwardly of the. pivot 30 substantial distance, so that when the cutter is operated, this end will move through agreater arc than will the end 38 of the part 2%, lengthening the spring 37 and permitting it, after the cigar is clipped, to return the parts to the normal position shown. A receptacle l3 for receiving the clippings is positioned beneath the travel of the guide 26.

A device is provided which will. now be described, for causing'a ball of suitable material adapted to indicate tl at a bonus will be given to the user or to itself constitute a bonus or present to be delivered out of the casing at each twentieth or other predeterminedoperation thereof. This device coniprises, in the present instance, a ratchet wheel "51, fixed on the pivot 30. The plate 29 is'slotted, as seen at 52 in Fig. 3, to permit the ratchet wheel 51 to extend therethrough, and-this plate carries a pawl 53 slidable in lips 54 and engaging the teeth of theratchet 51, a spring 56 being provided to hold the pawl against the teeth. Fixed also on the pivot 30 is a notched disk or cam 57. this disk being secured upon one end of the shaft. A ball race 58 extends alongside this wheel in inclined position, this ball race consisting of a top wall 59, a bottom wall. 60 and side walls 61 (Figs. 3 and A lever 62 is mounted beneath this ball race and has an end 63 formed to engage the face of the disk 57, a leaf spring 64 resting upon the free endof the lever 62, pressing the end 63 continuously into engagement with the cam or notch disk 57. The side plates 61 extend above the top plate 59 of the ball race at its forward end and abut'against the front, rear 4 and bottom walls ofthe casing. A partition 65 is formed at the lower end of the ball race. The bottom 60 of the race is cut away back of this partition and replaced by a leaf 66 on a slide 67 carried upon the end of the lever 62. The slide 67 is imperforate beneath the leaf and when the leaf 6% is in the raised position shown in Fig. 4, this portion ofthe' slide is moved up behind the position occupied by the lowest'ball 68 and prevents movement at this time of the other balls in the raceway. lVhen, however, the notch (39 in the disk 57 is brought into position to permit the end 63 of the lever to enter it, the slide 67 is lowered and the leaf 66 brought down on to a level substantially with the bottom60. Back of this leaf is an opening 71 through which a: ball may roll against the partition 65. Further movement of the disk causes the end of the lever 63 to ride out of the notch and the slide ('37 to be lifted-to the position shown in Fig. 43 This carries with it one ball which will be then presented as a present or bonus or as indicating that a present or bonus is due the user who has just clipped his cigar. When the ball is lifted by the slide it rolls out of an aperture 72 in the front wall and into a cup 73 secured at-74 beneath the aperture. After aball has been delivered theparts just described remainin their normal positi'on'or that shown in Fig. 4 until the notch again engages the end 63 of the lever 62. The balls are fed'into the race-way at the rear of the casing,'it being intended that if the balls merely indicate that a'bonus or present should be given the user, they should be immediately returned to the raceway. An aperture 75 is provided in the rear wall a slight distance above the bottonrGO of the raceway and the material of the rear wall is raised about this aperture in order'that idlers about the devicemay not tip it up and juggle the balls out through thisaperture.

In orderthat the two-part arm delivering the movement of the ratchet and notch disk may notbe idly operated to cause thedeliv ery 'ofba'lls', we provide a' stop for preventing movement ofthe arm exceptwhen actually engaged in the cutting of a cigar. A slot 81 ill) ing upwardly from the bottom 1 of the casing. Through this stop extends a slot 87 in which is positioned a pin 88 which is embraced by the end 89 of the slide 82. The

forward face of the stop 84 is provided with a shoulder 90 adapted to engage beneath the part 24 if the arm be depressed without movement of the stop. This movement is effected by the end of a cigar pressing against the outer end of the slide 82. The aperture in the guide 26 is somewhat elongated from front to rear so that a cigar being pushed down therein, will be pressed to oval shape and'in so doing will move the forward end of the slide 82 toward the rear, thereby swinging the stop 81 about its pivot so that the arm may clear the shoulder 90. When in this position further movement of the arm is permitted and the end of the cigar in the apertures 33, 3 1 and 35 may be cut off and a ball delivered, if such operation occurs after a sufiieient number of cigars have been out since the next preceding ball was presented. A spring 91 is provided to return the stop to normal position after the arm is released.

A friction brake is provided which will now be described, to prevent movement of the ratchet and notched disk except in amount corresponding to the action of the arm. The end of the pivot 30 extends beyond the bearing 23 remote from the disk 27 and a collar 92 is secured thereon. Against said bearing 23 a similar collar 93 is slidably mounted, independent rotation of it, however, being prevented by a pin 9-1 taking into the pivot 30 and into a slot 95 in the collar. The collar 93 carries a disk 96 which is pressed against the bearing 23 by a spring 97 provided between the collars 92 and 93. A collar 98 carrying a disk 99 is provided upon the other side of the bearing and is fixed against movement relatively to the pivot by a pin 101. The spring 97 therefore presses against the bearing 23 and presses it in turn against the disk 99 so that the bearing is clamped between the disks 99 and 96, thereby providing a frictional brake against overthrow.

Between the upright portion 20 and the back wall 15 a movable advertising device actuated by the rod 41 is provided which will now be described. Two openings 102 and 103 are provided in the wall 20, these openings preferably being of segmental form. Back of these openings is pivotally mounted a disk 10 1 upon which are printed or otherwise provided segmental advertising devices or signs adapted to be presented at the openings 102 and 103. This disk is fixed upon a pivot pin or shaft 105 taking through the upright 20 at one end and through a bearing plate 106 at the other, which bearing plate may be supported in any suitable fashion and is shown as depending from the top 21 of the casing. On the pivot 105 is fixed a ratchet disk 107 adapted to be engaged by a pawl formed of a lip 108 provided on the end of the bar 41. Each time the bar 29 of the cutting arm is moved to cut a cigar its rear end is lifted and this in turn lifts the bar 41 turning the ratchet 107 to present new advertising devices at the apertures 102 and 103 in the casing. The

lip 108 is held against the ratchet by the action of the bar 41, its lower end having a beveled shoulder 109, as indicated in Fig. 6. As the spring 37 is stretched by the de pressing of the arm in cutting a cigar, it tends to pull the face of the shoulder 109 into contact with the upper face of the bar 29, thereby pulling the lip 108 against the ratchet. The spring 37 is always under some tensionand this tension serves to maintain the lip in continuous engagement with the ratchet 107. In order that accurate register between the advertising devices on the disk 104 and the apertures 102 and 103 may be maintained, we provide a friction brake eonsisting of a strap 111 or other equivalent device extending about an enlarged hub 112 of the pivot 105 in the form of a sling, the upper end 113 of this strap being engaged by one end of the coiled spring 114, the other end of which is secured in a lip 115 on the casing. If desired, throw of the ratchet at each actuation of the device may be such that it moves through an are twice the angu larity of the openings 102 and 103 so that when the parts are properly arranged a part presented to 102 will pass 103 and a part presented to 103 will pass 102. This will permit alternate parts to be printed in inverted position.

It will be manifest from the foregoing that the device is adapted to deliver presents themselves to the users intermittently and at predetermined operations of the machine. The number of teeth and the throw given the pawl 53 determine the number of operations of the device necessary to transpire between the presentation of the balls.

It will be manifest also that a number of balls may be used and that these balls may have difierent colors, the individual colors representing any arbitrary quantity of articles or representing different articles or articles of different qualtities.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be obvious that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

We claim 1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a plurality of bonus indieating devices, a moving member, means for presenting said bonus indicating devices and a rotatable member continuously operable by said moving member to intermittently operate said means.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a casing, a cigar cutting mechanism, an article dispensing device within the casing and associated with said cutter, and associated instrumentalities for op'eratively connecting said cutter to said article dispensing device at predetermined non-consecutive actuations of said cigar entter.

3. In a device of the character described the combination of a casing, an article container therein, a cigar cutter, and means for "causing the delivery of an article from said container at predetermined actuations of saidcigar cutter.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of an arm having a primary function, a bonus indicating device and a rotatable member movable by said arm incidentally to and at each movement thereof in the performance of its primary function for intermittently presenting said bonus indicating device at predetermined intervals.

In a device of the character described, the combination of a casing having an aperture tl erein, aball race in said casing having an end disposed adjacent said aperture, a partition between the end of said ball race and said aperture, a ball in said ball race, a movable member, and means connected to and operable by said member for intermittently moving said partition to present said ball at said aperture.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a casing having an aperture therein, a swinging arm, a ratchet engaging said swinging arm in its movement in one direction, a ball race, a ball in said race, and means operable by said ratchet for presenting a ball at said aperture.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a casing having an aperture therein, a swinging arm, a ball race, a

ball therein, a rotatable cam adapted to be rotated a predetermined distance at each movement of said swinging arm, and means operable by said cam for presenting the ball at said aperture.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of a casing having an aperture therein, a ball race having an end disposed beneath said aperture, a ball in said race, and means operable by said arm for lifting said ball from race to said aperture intermittently.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of a casing having an aperture therein, a ball race having an end dis posed adjacent said aperture, a ball in said. race, a partition between the end of said ball. race and said aperture, a pivotally mounted member for moving said ball out of said race to said aperture, and a rotatable notched disk engagingsaid pivotally mounted memher to actuate the same, said disk being rotated a predetermined amount at each actuation of said arm.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination of a two-part arm pivoted at diflerent centers and one part sliding with respect to the other in pivotal movement of said arm, a ratchet engaged by one of said parts and movable by said arm in one direction, a rotatable advertising device, a ratcheton said rotatable advertising device, a longitudinally movable link engaging said ratchet at one end and having the other end disposed through one part of said arm and connected beyond this part with the other part by a spring, said spring serving to return all the parts to normal position and to retain said link in engagement with the ratchet on the advertising device.

11. In a device of the character described, the combination of a casing, bonus indicating articles, a bonus indicating article container therein, a cigar cutter and means for causing delivery of a said article from said container at pro-determined actuations of said cigar cutter.

Signed in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BEN K. roan. OSCAR J. VOGL.

lVitnesses J. C. CARPENTER, J. P. GIBsoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

